I forgot the whole bunch of 'em for a while. It was the night of a moon, and you could see it in the trees, like a big fat face that was friends with you. When a bird did just one note, it felt pleasant. After a while I stopped still, because it seemed as if something was near to me; but I wasn't scared, even if it was quite dark. I thought to myself that I wisht my family and all the folks I knew was still and kept to themselves same as the trees does, instead of rushing at you every minute, out loud. I never knew any folks that acted different from that, though. Luke was just like that, too.
I was thinking of this when I see him coming to meet me, down the path. He ain't a big man, Luke.
"Hello, Cossy," he says. "That you?"
"Hello, Luke," I says. I dunno why it is—with the boys at home I can joke. But Luke, he always makes me feel just plain. I just says "Hello, Luke," and stood still, and waited for him to come up to me. He turned and walked along beside me.
"I was afraid I wouldn't meet you," he says. "I was afraid I'd miss you. My, it's a good thing to get you somewheres by yourself."
"Why?" I says.
"Oh, the boys are always around, or your pa, or somebody. I've got a right to talk to you sometimes by yourself."
"Well, go ahead, then. Talk to me."
All of a sudden he stopped still in the path.